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Although I started my glamis career in the washes 30 years ago, I have been for the last 25 years a gecko rd person I really love it. I guess I’m a pad 4 snob as people like to say. But On my normal trip I would take a couple of days off on a normal non holiday weekend. Go out on a Wednesday morning I would go out and I would see all of pad 4 covered in 4 or 5 ghost rigs with yards of tape, buggies, trucks, lawn chairs, anything to save space. Last year I get to where I see a larger taped area, I can slip my two rigs in. and I start moving cones and a guy comes out screaming at me and we get pretty heated but I told him he can’t save space and I’m here and your supposed buddy isn’t and to call the BLM on me. I’m getting too old for this drama. Later it was determined that most of his big crew he was going to fight me for never showed up. So we almost go to blows over real estate he wasn’t sure he needed.

I can get along with just about anybody and we get to talking later and saw that I am easygoing and just there to have fun too. He even came over later drunk to ask if I wanted to go on a ride with them (want me to lead)WTF! I don’t drink and drive so I politely declined. My long winded point is I have a couple of trips planned after the first of the year and need some other options for camping.

Plus with with the drama seeming to get to a recent fever pitch on Gecko maybe the dusty washes wouldn’t be so bad. I can take you anywhere in the dunes you want to from gecko without gps it seems like opening a new era to learn to read the dunes from the washes side, kind of exciting.

Like I said I go out on Wednesday stay till Tuesday. Please school me where to go. I realize being there during the day is a big help because you can at least walk ahead of the mh to make sure your not going through soft stuff. Had a bad experience many years ago when we tried to camp in wash 6 at night. Buried the MH to the frame. The only limitation I have is I have a Dynamax DX3 super “c” 2 wheel drive with stacker in tow and my son in law comes in an old school class c so no 4-wheel drives to help tug us out. Also I would like to park as far in away from the dirt road as I can and still be able to drive a 2 wheel drive Motorhome out (if i have had to air down to get out don’t mind that just prefer not to). I have been told by friends that I should go with wash 7. Looking for a relatively easy access quiet spot out of the main traffic.

Some washes are softer than others, that's a fact. I don't have any experience with the lower washes (10 or below) but the closer to the store the louder and dustier it is. 13 has been good to me for most of my entire Glamis experience, unless its dead still with no W then the dust isn't bad - sometimes right around sunset it gets gnarly - not nearly what the brown cloud towards the store looks like though. As for the actual "quiet" that's hit and miss in any wash, just depends on the neighbors The train is there regardless of wash but I don't mind it a bit and usually forget it's even there.

Dunning from the washes is all good - the challenge is getting back to camp without having to hit wash road and look at signs to find which one you are in There are landmarks that you find like the burned up truck near W10 or the vegetation near W18-ish that helps.

FHJ likes to say "Even heaven has a ghetto, and that is the washes..." or something like that Welcome to the ghetto

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On off weekends the washes are pretty empty and you can have your pick of where you want to camp. Washes 1- 10 have lots of space and usually no worries about getting stuck. Seen plenty of big motorhomes with stackers or large enclosed trailers in the washes. On busy weekends Washes 1-10 can get packed in pretty good.

Interestingly each wash provides a slightly different dune experience as the dunes as are different from each one. Just remember any of the washes that have bathrooms will be busier than the others.

Also, most of the washes have small dunes between them and the "real" dunes. Always keep an eye out for little ones riding through here. Most feed into an actual wash and you can take a "highway" to the bigger stuff if you want to avoid the small stuff... you can get to Brawley slide without hitting a single dune.

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The washes have changed a bit this year with the wind. Some are softer and deeper then years past and we have migrated because of this. Even with 4x4 its been a driving experience. Start off camping shallow in the washes and feel it out from there. Always good to camp with a group familiar with this seasons sand flow.

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I have only camped in the washes a few times in the last 10 years, one thing I did learn on big weekends is you can get land locked. A couple of years ago we got the on Dec 26th and went to leave on the 31st and there was know way to get out, people block the paths. We had to ask a group if we could go thru the middle of their camp to get out. My point be leery about going to deep into a wash early in a big weekend. This was in Wash 6, other than that it wasn't that bad.

Although I started my glamis career in the washes 30 years ago, I have been for the last 25 years a gecko rd person I really love it. I guess I’m a pad 4 snob as people like to say. But On my normal trip I would take a couple of days off on a normal non holiday weekend. Go out on a Wednesday morning I would go out and I would see all of pad 4 covered in 4 or 5 ghost rigs with yards of tape, buggies, trucks, lawn chairs, anything to save space. Last year I get to where I see a larger taped area, I can slip my two rigs in. and I start moving cones and a guy comes out screaming at me and we get pretty heated but I told him he can’t save space and I’m here and your supposed buddy isn’t and to call the BLM on me. I’m getting too old for this drama. Later it was determined that most of his big crew he was going to fight me for never showed up. So we almost go to blows over real estate he wasn’t sure he needed.

I can get along with just about anybody and we get to talking later and saw that I am easygoing and just there to have fun too. He even came over later drunk to ask if I wanted to go on a ride with them (want me to lead)WTF! I don’t drink and drive so I politely declined. My long winded point is I have a couple of trips planned after the first of the year and need some other options for camping.

Plus with with the drama seeming to get to a recent fever pitch on Gecko maybe the dusty washes wouldn’t be so bad. I can take you anywhere in the dunes you want to from gecko without gps it seems like opening a new era to learn to read the dunes from the washes side, kind of exciting.

Like I said I go out on Wednesday stay till Tuesday. Please school me where to go. I realize being there during the day is a big help because you can at least walk ahead of the mh to make sure your not going through soft stuff. Had a bad experience many years ago when we tried to camp in wash 6 at night. Buried the MH to the frame. The only limitation I have is I have a Dynamax DX3 super “c” 2 wheel drive with stacker in tow and my son in law comes in an old school class c so no 4-wheel drives to help tug us out. Also I would like to park as far in away from the dirt road as I can and still be able to drive a 2 wheel drive Motorhome out (if i have had to air down to get out don’t mind that just prefer not to). I have been told by friends that I should go with wash 7. Looking for a relatively easy access quiet spot out of the main traffic.

Your ideas are very much appreciated!

I feel your pain. I used to camp at wash 32 for 15 -20 years way before any of the BS. That said my group has gone from wash 32 to the wash road by the canal off 78, to pad 3, to sometimes pad 5.

It does feel like we are being reeled in by the BLM. ( Another topic I hope SOON ) The reality is if you want pad 5 get there early like Monday. If you want pad 3 get there by Wednesday. All that all depends on how many are in your group AND sure as hell not Thanksgiving or any holidays too LOL. I have met soo many cool dune dudes/ family's by just the fact that we were camped next too one another. My group is always just a good ride and a Melo camp away from friendship with others out at Glamis. I hope your is too.

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I’ve always been on skid row washes. Love it! 6.5 normally unless I’m with another group in 14. I like the dune transitions from camp in those areas. Shouldn’t have a problem with MOHO in those areas, but scout it in the day light if possible. The only time I camp on Gecko is on the two guy trips we do a year and we flat bed our high dollar stuff on over and sleep in our trucks.

When i has the 40’ pusher it made me nervous every time because of the no tow hooks up front.

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13 is a good one and easy to find on the return...usually. 16 is nice for big motorhomes who don't want to get stuck. 10 while the most crowded is the easiest to roll out of and get to the big dunes....

Anything below 10 I stay away from to far from camp to the smooth dunes south of the high traffic zone